Animal trap



June 4, 1935. L. D. MYERS ANIMAL TRAP Fi'led Nov. 2, 1952 Patented June 4, 1935 UNITED STATES [PATENT 9' Claims.

This invention relates to. a trap, and particularly' toi an animal trap. While the trapl may have various applications and be' constructed and ar-` ranged for trapping various animals, it particularly is designed for trapping smaller animals, such as mice.

With many mouse trapsl as. noiw constructed, the animal is trapped and confined in an enclosure while alive. It is a disagreeable task to many people for various reasons, to kill the trapped mice or rats. This is often anincon-l venient task.

It is an object: of this invention,- thereiore, to' provide a trap in which the animal will be killed shortly after entering the trap, and. the animal can then be easily discharged from the trap with'e out inconvenience;

It is a; further object of the invention to? proh vide a trapi comprising a casing having a chamberv therein and an opening for entrance into said chamber, said trap: having at its bottoina meniberf forming an electrode of ani electric' cil'ciiilft, together with a wall adjacent said member forniing another electrode, whereby the mouse'v or animal entering said openingy will engagey saidelectrodes, complete said circuit,- andl bel electro@ cutest.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention Will be fully set forth in the' following 'description made in connectionwith the accom!- panying drawing, ini` which like reference chairactersf refer tov similar partsA throughout the' several views, and in whichr Y l Fig. 1 isa toppl'anlviewof' the'trap, certain-por'- tions being broken away and` others shown in hor"- izontal section;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the trap taken substantially on line? 2-2 of Fig. l as indifcated bythe arrows.

Referring to the drawing, a trap is showncomprising a'v casing 5. While this casing might be variously made, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it isshown as of generall cylindrical form tapering slightly from its'`r bot'- tornf toward its top and' having atop portion 5a through which extends an opening 5f'. While opening 5f may be variously located, in thel ernbodiment` of the invention illustrated it1i is shown as disposed substantially oentrallyoi' top: 5a'. The casing. 5 may be made off variousv materials-,-but preferably is made of a materialwhich@ is? a nonconductorof electricity, (suoli:- as g-lafssf porcelain; etci Casing lilisishowrrashavingproecting from' itsexterior Wall aL pluralityY o'f'A outwardly and up"' tively thin edge at their outer portion-s. 521 are spaced at substantially equal distances along the side' of casing 5 and a groove 5c exe tends about the' top surface of the top 5d adjacent its edge, said groove forming af rather sharp" 'rige fiA about thev top 5a. The ribs 5b' enable an an mail suchv asVV a mousev to' readily' climbup the side oi' the casing 5 to the top thereof. Casing 5 hasj a chamber' therein and abottoni Si provided for said chamber. Said chamber' has a substantially 10 vertical' and unobstructed inner side' wall.` W e member E might be made of various materials 'rid supported in various vvafysf, it' is preferably made of insulating material such as'bre and is shown as having its edge received an= annular grooveL 15 5d' extending about the inner wall of casing- 5"; The disk orpl'ate 6 thus rests uponE the bottoni of the groove 5d'.- Ai member 'Il is prbvided, formed of a materiali which isf ai clzindlietcir of 'letricit'yf such as metal, and saidmember" has? a t'o'p 1d* 20 shown as of circular outline and having a convex' topf surface. Member" 'fa hasi its vertical shank I portion threaded at its lower end and exten-ding through plate B` and` provided with av washer' 8 and nut 9".. A Sleeve IW ofV insulating malterial 25` surrounds thevert'ica'lly entending or shank: pori1 tion ofl member' T resting.v on' pla-te 8" ati-'tsl lower end' and' is'v engaged? by the underside ofthe' hea-'d in at-Iits= upper end. This sleeve' l'lfisuthus held clampedbetweenfth head? Ta and? disk Gfwhenfnuf 30 S istightened. A conductor Il is connected at one end tothe member 1-,being clampediinf'position bythel washer a andi nut 9. Conductor vl l is show-nasl anordinary insuiated cordv and the same extends'troml member 'E beneathttlie plate`yr 35 6 through ani opening 5e: formed inf' the lov'veipo'r'-V ding' post'f lf3",1 t6- whic seeuiedi another? condii'ctfo'r IW sii-tende through arrA opening plateiV li and eiitends outwardly through the opening, 5c in casing: 5: The conductors'l I' and'A ljd'ffi'mpart oanordinay 50 electric'aii @ordi xiv-inf have an plug' connected' toihir enssas to biisjeitfea in an' elctnb' soeke't from'whicicurrent'wmrsupnea v In operation? the' t'rap will bedisposed a" piace frequented by' meAV animals" r be trapped, 55"

such as mice, and the conductors II and I4 will, as stated, be connected to a source of electricity. Some suitable bait, such as small pieces of cheese or meal will be placed on the bottom member 6 about the member I0. A mouse will be attracted by the bait, will climb to the top of casing 5 and enter the chamber in said casing through the opening 5f. The mouse can very readily climb up the side of casing 5 by engaging the ribs 5b with its claws. It will, of course, be seen that members 1 and l2 are separated by insulating material until they are bridged by the body of the animal. The mouse must jump or drop toward the bottom S. In doing this it will contact the top of member and will also engage the member l2. one electrode of an electric circuit, while member I2 will form the opposite electrode. The body,

of the animal touching these members will therefore complete an electric circuit and will be electrocuted. After being thus killed, the animals body will become limp and it will drop below the top portion 'la of the member l' so as to no longer enga-ge this electrode. The body will then lie limp on the bottom plate 6. There will thus be no burning of the animal due to the electric current. Ordinarily the voltage will be so adjusted that any such burning willbe avoided. When it is desired to remove the animal, the trap will be picked up and inverted and the dead animal will drop out through the opening 5f into a suitable receptacle.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a simpley and eiiicient trap, and one which can be made at quite a small expense. The trap can be disposed in any desired location about the modern house and only needs to have the electrical cord or extension to be connected in an electric socket. The trap is quite sanitary and can be readily cleaned by washing,

'if desired. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and eicient.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, ar-

rangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set 1forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined inthe appended claims.

What is claimed is:- 1. An animal trap 'having in combination, a casing adapted to rest upon a supporting surface and having a chamber therein having a bottom,

the same having an opening adjacent its upper end and having substantially vertical walls whereby an animal entering said opening will jump or drop to said bottom, a, member upstanding from said bottom forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second annular member surrounding said member adjacent the wall of said chamber and sloping toward said member to be adjacent the same, said latter member V. forming the opposite electrode of said circuit, whereby an animal entering said opening and dropping or jumping to said bottom will engage said electrodes, complete the circuit and be electrocuted. n

2. An animal trap having in combination, a

casing adapted to rest upon a supporting surface and formed of electrical non-conducting material having a chamber therein, a bottom of nonconducting material for said chamber supported 1n said casing, a member upstanding from said As described, member l will form bottom forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second member of electrical conducting material sloping downwardly toward the same and forming the opposite electrode of said circuit, said casing having an opening in its top aifording entrance to said chamber whereby an animal entering said opening and approaching said bottom will engage both of said members, complete an electric circuit and be electrocuted, said rst mentioned member having the portion thereof adjacent said bottom insulated and having its exposed portion some distance above said bottom, whereby an animal after being electrocuted may drop below said exposed portion and break said circuit.

3. An animal trap having in combination, a casing having approximately vertical walls and having a chamber therein with approximately vertical and substantially unobstructed walls, said casing having ledges on its exterior enabling an animal such as a mouse to climb up the side of said casing, said casing having a substantially horizontal top with an opening therein, a bottom in said casing some distance from said top, a member upstanding from the bottom of said casing forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a member inrsaid casing extending about the same closely adjacent the Wall thereof and sloping toward said first mentioned member adjacent its bottom and forming an opposite electrode of said circuit whereby an animal entering through said opening will engage both of said members, complete said circuit and be eleotrocuted.

4. An animal trap having in combination, a casing having a chamber therein with substantially unobstructed walls inclining upwardly and inwardly, and having an opening in its upper portion, a bottom disposed below said opening on which bait may be placed, a member upstanding from said bottom forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second member extending about said chamber and disposed adjacent said first mentioned member adjacent said bottom and forming an opposite Aelectrode of said circuit whereby a mouse entering said opening and jumping or dropping to said bottom will engage both of said members, complete said circuit, and be electrocuted.

5. An animal trap having in combination, a substantially closed casing having a bottom and side walls, said casing having a chamber therein with a substantially unobstructed side wall and an opening adjacent its top for the entry of an animal, said bottom being of insulating material and spaced from the top of said chamber so that an animal cannot reach to said bottom from the top of said casing, a member extending upwardly from said bottom forming an electrode and a member spaced from said member and adjacent said side walls forming the other electrode of an electric circuit whereby an animal entering said opening will engage said electrodes and be electrocuted, said rst mentioned member having an electrode-forming top portion and a cover of insulating material surrounding said member between said top portion and said bottom.

6. An animal trap having in' combination, a substantiallyv closed casing adapted to rest on a supporting surface and having a, chamber therein, said chamber having a bottom and an unobstructed substantially vertical inner wall, a member supported on said bottom forming an electrode, an annular member spaced from said member forming another electrode, said casing having an opening at its upper portion spaced at considerable distance from said bottom for the entry of an animal into said chamber whereby an animal entering said opening and jumping or dropping to said bottom will engage said electrodes and be electrocuted.

7. An animal trap having in combination, a casing adapted to rest upon a supporting surface, the same having a chamber therein with a bottom and a substantially vertical inner wall, said casing having a top spaced from said bottom a disance greater than the length of the body of said animal, said top having an opening therethrough for the entry of an animal, a member at the bottom of said casing forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second member in said casing spaced from said member and forming the opposite electrode for said electric circuit, said members being disposed adjacent each other whereby an animal entering said opening must jump or drop to the bottom of said casing and will engage both of said members, complete said circuit and be electrocuted.

animal, a member at the bottom of said casing forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second member in said casing adjacent the wall of said chamber and forming the opposite electrode for said electric circuit, said members being disposed adjacent each other, whereby an animal entering said chamber through said opening must jump or drop to said bottom and will engage said electrodes and be electrocuted.

9. An animal trap having in combination, a casing having approximately Vertical walls and having a chamber therein with an approximately vertical and substantially unobstructed wall, said casing having ledges on its exterior enabling an animal such as a mouse to climb up the side of said casing, said casing having a top with an opening therethrough affording an entrance to said chamber by said animal, said chamber having a bottom spaced a considerable distance from said top and opening, said distance being greater than the length of the body of said animal, a member upstanding from said bottom and forming one electrode of an electric circuit, a second member in said chamber extending about said first mentioned member adjacent the same and forming the other electrode of said circuit, whereby an animal such as a mouse may climb up said ledges, enter said opening and jump or drop to said bottom, where it will engage said electrodes and be electrocuted.

LLOYD D. MYERS. 

